Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Model 54 value

I've had this old girl sitting here for a few months now but haven't done much with it.
It was made in 1926.
Wondering just how original it is and what it's worth. There's another one in a local shop and it has different swivel studs so I'm thinking mine are original but I'm not sure. Also wondering if it does have any collector value would it hurt to recut the checkering?
I cleaned the barrel really well last weekend and I'm sure there was copper in there from the 20's, it's squeeky clean now and in very good shape.






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You have a Model 54 First Standard Rifle, 2nd year production. 30.06 was the most common chambering. No extra holes in the rear bridge/receiver and the swivel studs and Lyman folding leaf sight appear to be original. I see guns in similar condition at shows here in PA for sale in the $800.00 to $1,100.00 range. I personally would not have the checkering recut.

M54's in un-altered condition such as your are geting VERY hard to find. I would not do anything to it other than shoot it. The value of a nice honest rifle like yours will only go up.

A 54 in .257 Roberts sold on GB last week for 1300 if I remember correctly.

I wouldn't touch it.

i think i see clip slots in the bridge of the receiver. you should be able to use 5 shot springfield stripper clips in the gun to quickly reload. have fun with it!

You have a nice clean and original looking Model 54. I agree generally with the prior comments. For years the Model 54 was a real sleeper within the Winchester line. It is now finally emerged from the shadow of the Model 70. I do disagree with value assessments based on the Internet gun sales. I believe they often represents more of an anomaly since perhaps only a quite small percentage of gun sales actually occur through such medium. Here in the West, with some patience, a nice rifle like yours can still be found in the $400-500 (negotiated) price range at such as gun shows. Perhaps this is the antithesis of the Internet sale so perhaps an average might be somewhat higher. I have accumulated some nice 54 rifles and carbines over the years and frankly, I do wish that the prices suggested in this thread were realistic. But in my opinion they are not reflective of actual values in the common marketplace.
My take.

I bet that less than 25% of the M54's made are in unaltered condition such as this one. Find me an UNALTERED M54 is even OK shape for $400-$500 and I'll buy it in an instant. I agree that M54's have not gained the collector status that many other Winchesters have but with the very few remaining original ones I don't ever see the prices going down.

That's a nice old rifle,and like others have said,appears priginal.I would use it but not alter it.Hell, it doesn't need anything!

A good receiver sight,without altering the stock,might be a nice add-on.Lyman 57 maybe?

Two of the dumbest buys I did not make were a pair of 54's....one a 30-30 carbine years back, and more recently a Super Grade 30/06 in cherry shape for $1100 bucks....dumb moves but I have made a few.

Thanks for the input guys,..she'll stay the way she is.

Funny thing is,I paid less for this one than I did for a 270 version last year, it had a cut stock and was missing the safety lever...neither of which were divulged when I bought it,..it went down the road.